


you know i need you (baby, please come home)

by ballumschmallum



Category: EastEnders (TV)
Genre: Christmas Eve, Christmas Fluff, M/M, an au where ballum break up BUT reunite, angst with a very cheesy ending, ballum - Freeform, ballum advent calendar 2020, ballum are so in love and cannot live without the other, ben x callum
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-14
Updated: 2020-12-14
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:14:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,087
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28059012
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ballumschmallum/pseuds/ballumschmallum
Summary: “I miss waking up beside Callum, falling asleep beside Callum. I miss Callum keeping me warm at night.”“All things Callum,” Jay teases, albeit trying not to throw up at the soppiness of his brother. “You really can find a way through this.”“I know,” Ben says instantly. “He did it because he loves me.”-or ben and callum break up when Ben finds out about Callum's secret but they reunite on Christmas Eve.
Relationships: Callum "Halfway" Highway/Ben Mitchell
Comments: 12
Kudos: 84





	you know i need you (baby, please come home)

**Author's Note:**

> this my entry for day 13 of the ballum advent calendar over on Tumblr. Yes I understand that it is now past midnight but I wanted this fic to be as best it can be and we all know how manic this time of year can be! :D I hope you all like it and please kudos/comment. I love reading what everyone thinks<333
> 
> This sounds like an angsty fic, but please stick with it as I think half of it is the fluffiest and cheesiest shit that I have ever wrote.
> 
> Title was inspired by Michael Buble's Christmas (Baby Please Come Home).

This was supposed to be their best Christmas. Callum had well and truly  _ fucked up _ , big time. He wished that the thought of ever joining the police never crossed him. Because look where he is now. He saved the one he loves from a prison sentence, but now there was not much to show for it as he sat in the box room of his old flat that he shared with his brother Stuart and new wife Rainie. 

He was back to where it all began. Back in the same place where he put on a front to try and be happy in what would have been a long suffering life with Whitney, even though she was the most beautiful girl in his eyes. But that life wasn’t for him.

Callum’s life was supposed to be with Ben and his eyes started to glass over with wet tears as he delicately held a shimmering label, that is a deep shade of red and had an image of a snowman, between his fingers. Sucking in a breath, he turned the label round and felt his breath being held back from his with a choke as the words on the label bravely spoke:  _ To Ben, Merry Christmas! All my love always, Callum xxx _

Callum swallowed down the lump in his throat and scrunched his eyes shut as fresh tears came seeping out. He covered his mouth with the back of his hand as he choked out a sob. This was not how it was supposed to be. Last year was a shitty Christmas followed by a pretty shitty year but at least they had each other. But now, Callum is lonely  _ again _ . This Christmas was supposed to be special, laying presents under the tree, snuggling up on the sofa watching classic Christmas films in which Ben claims that every Christmas film seems to have the same sort of plot outline  _ everytime _ . But all of that was the magic of Christmas, but most of all it was celebrating the magic of  _ them  _ and that they were together and happy. 

But not anymore. 

It was only a ticking time bomb until Ben would have found out his deceitful ways, the betrayal, the lies. And he did when Callum could not keep hiding anymore and things were getting uncontrollable at work and Callum needed to face the fact that he really  _ needed _ Ben. So he spilled all but what could he expect? It was Ben’s father that he was set the task of stitching up, and Mitchell family blood is as thick as thieves and as the old saying goes, _ blood is thicker than water _ .

So here he was, staying back in the old flat with a bag of some of his stuff dumped outside the funeral parlour a few days ago. He could hear the distant sound of music and singing that was coming from the Christmas carol concert in the middle of the Square. 

He needed time. Callum knew that. But what if he had now lost Ben forever? 

A gentle knock vibrated into the room which immediately jolted Callum out of his thoughts.

“Bruv,” Stuart said in a calming and moderate tone. “Are you ready?” 

“Yeah, I’m just coming,” Callum sniffed, hastily wiping his eyes. His eyes already felt sore from the few spare moments of crying so he knew that they would be slightly blotchy.

Stuart slowly opened the door with caution, whilst Callum focused on putting his jacket on, looking anywhere but at him. Stuart looked at his little brother sadly, he had never seen Callum look so  _ broken _ . 

“How are you doing?” Stuart asks gently, and mentally kicks himself immediately after because his little brother looked far from okay. He looked exactly how he would if he ever lost Rainie.

“You know me, tickety-boo!” Callum lies, painting on a smile that never reached the eyes and where his dimples did not look like they ever existed. 

Stuart sends a warm and reassuring smile in Callum’s direction, “You just have to give it time bruv, he will come round.”

“What come around to the fact that I tried to stitch up his dad and nearly destroyed his entire family?” Callum raises his eyebrow challengingly and scoffs out a laugh. “Doubtful.” 

Callum picks up the present that he put aside on his bedside table while he put his jacket on. He softly strokes the wrapping paper with his index finger and sees his reflection shimmering looking sadly up at him in between the ribbon. 

“Family is everything to the Mitchells,” Callum adds wistfully. There is a sense of longing and desperation embedded in his tone. “Just like Ben is everything to me.”

“And you are to him,” Stuart tells him, walking towards him and wrapping a comforting arm around Callum’s shoulders. “He will understand.” He looks at the small present that is in Callum’s hand, “What are you thinking with Ben’s present?”

“It’s a watch from Ben’s favourite brand, we were in Stratford shopping for Lexi and he saw it in the window at one of the jewellers,” Callum remincised, smiling at the fond memory. “It was the latest edition watch, he loved it, commenting how stylish it looked but it was  _ far _ too expensive and couldn’t afford it compared to the length of Lexi’s Christmas list,” he breathed out a laugh. “So I took some time off at the station one afternoon, and I bought him the watch.” 

“Didn’t you get him a watch for his birthday?” Stuart questions, “you know, the one that could vibrate.” 

An accidental smirk pulled at Callum’s lips at the term of phrase but the pieces of his heart that were broken were beginning to shatter into tiny pieces when he started to remember the morning after they said I love you together, for the first time. 

“Anyway,” Stuart continued. “Thinking about the cost and unless you have a warranty on that thing, I think it’s best to not give it to Ben until he’s calmed down.” 

“You’re probably right,” Callum sniffles with a nod. He reluctantly puts the present back in the bedside drawer. He wipes at his eyes, swearing that there’s an itch, but really he could feel a tear started to seep through. “Come on, let’s go.” 

Apart from being in the warm comfort of Ben under the twinkling tree lights and snuggled up on the sofa watching some Christmas movie, he could not think of anything better than to drown his sorrows, to temporarily burn his emotions and praying that he would sleep through Christmas Day. 

Across the Square, it seemed like Ben had the same idea as he slouched on the sofa at Jay and Billy’s house taking a large satisfying gulp of the beer that he was necking down his throat and savouring the burn that tingles in his throat and warms his chest; like the way a hot fire does when you had just come inside from the crispy chill of the outside air on a winter’s day. He lets out a breathy  _ ahh  _ as he removes the open head of the bottle from his lips and caresses the neck of the bottle with his thumb, gazing blearily at the half filled bottle. 

Jay is looking over at Ben as he stands by the worktop in the kitchen area, with a commiserating stare. A sigh escapes his lips and he picks up the two beer bottles that he has just opened and tentatively walks over, placing the beer bottles down quietly on the coffee table. 

“I don’t think that’s going to do you any favours for tomorrow is it,” Jay acknowledges, sneaking a glance over in Ben’s direction before sitting down beside him. 

“Says the one who has just put another beer in front of me,” Ben comments snarkily, before taking another swig of his beer.

Jay rolled his eyes, he had a point to be fair. He bit down on his lip speculatively before leaning back on the sofa. He looked back at Ben, his face mirroring the side of Ben’s head as he just looked at his bottle in a complete daze, like he was lost to the world. 

“I saw Callum earlier,” Jay mentions.

Ben looks over at Jay and smiles thinly, his heart breaking at the name. His breath catching in his throat, but he quickly manages to compose himself. “That’s nice. Guess he’s getting ready for Christmas with Uncle Fester.” 

“He looked exactly like you do,” Jay pressed. “Broken. Like he has lost a limb.” 

Ben clicks his tongue and starts fiddling with the label of the bottle, “Well he should have thought about that before he decided to go behind my back and lie to me for months.”

Jay rolls his eyes, “He was being blackmailed Ben. Besides, imagine if he decided not to, you would be spending Christmas behind bars.”

“But he still could have come to me,” Ben argues, rubbing his eyes. “He had the cheek to go on about me and my bad ways and lying to him and then it turns out he has been doing it for months.”

“Yes because he loves you,” Jay responds with a slight raise to his voice, frustration ringing through his vocals. “And you love him as well. Face it Ben, you’re bloody miserable…”

“Well wouldn’t you be if you found out your other half was being deceitful?!” Ben immediately cut in, his words sounding slurred. “Yes I do love him, alright? You happy now? But there’s no going back for us. It’s over. Finito.”

“It doesn’t have to be,” Jay says gently. “You two can find a way past this. It was bad what Callum did, but he was being pressured down at the station, bullied even, blackmailed, his life was made a misery. But he had you. He didn’t want to do it, but he did it to keep you safe and because he wanted to look after you. But what he also did in the end was to protect your family, he took a risk and double crossed the police just for you. And even Phil. You can work your way through this. You two are like Ross and Rachel.”

Ben looks over at Jay with an arched eyebrow, “ _ Like Ross and Rachel?  _ Bro, he tried to get my dad sent down, he didn’t sleep with someone else.” 

Realising what he had just said, Ben gulped and turned to look at Jay who was looking downcast as he took a large sip of his beer. It was now Ben’s turn to look sympathetic. He knew that Jay had a brave face masked on but he knew that he was hurting because of his breakup with Lola. He also witnessed Lola coming home that evening when him and Callum were dishing up dinner, in tears.

“I’m sorry mate,” he says solemnly. “I didn’t think. I guess I was too wrapped up in my own love life. There is still a chance for you and Lola as well, you two were made for each other.”

Jay scoffs, “A couple of years ago maybe, but that ship has sailed. But you and Callum are meant to be together. Despite knowing each other for years, Lola did not want to have my baby, get married or move in with me. But you and Callum, your relationship is so different, it’s  _ right _ .”

Ben smiles sadly, “But it wasn’t right what he did.”

Jay huffs loudly and frustratedly, “Will you just give it a rest? Is your dad behind bars now? No. Because he was looking out for you both even if you don’t think it yourself, he was. He protected you, just so you could be safe and happy, so Lexi could still have a dad that isn’t behind bars, so you could be with  _ him _ . And let’s not forget about the time a few years back where you tried to frame your dad for something he didn’t do and working with DI Marsden just because you weren’t getting your own way, yeah?” 

Ben let out an exasperated sigh and shuffled down further into the sofa in hope that the sofa cushions would swallow him up whole as a way to escape for a while; an escape to how he was truly feeling. He knew he had a lot of thinking to do as he took a long thirsty sip of the beer and allowed his eyes to flutter close as he relaxed his head on the top of the sofa. 

It must have been at least another couple of hours where a few more beers were consumed and Ben and Jay still remained in the same spot on the sofa. Even Jay was starting to get tipsy now. They had moved off the conversation of their love lives and were just talking about general things that  _ brothers _ talk about. 

“It’s almost Christmas,” Jay says, his words sounded garbled and his eyes were squinting as he held his wrist with his watch right up to his face. 

Ben mumbles. “Shouldn’t Billy be back by now? Or is he having a little bit of jingle balls over at the Taylors?” 

Jay subtly shakes his head at Ben’s comment, before swallowing a lump in his throat. A face of slight shame started to cloud over him. “He’s probably trying to avoid me more like,” Jay scoffs.

Ben lets out a laugh, “Why? He normally follows you around like a little lamb.”

“He saw me and Honey kissing,” he admits sheepishly.

Ben nearly spits out the mouthful of beer that he has just tipped into his mouth, but luckily manages to swallow it all. He twists his body and looks over at Jay, his eyes widening in shock. “I’m sorry, what?!”

“I know, it was wrong,” Jay tries to push it aside. “But it just felt...I don’t know.”

“Go on,” Ben presses. “We’re brothers. You can tell me.” 

“Me and Honey have been getting pretty close lately,” Jay explains, his hands moving about in all sorts of gestures. “I’ve been helping her out, she’s been helping me. This Christmas dinner thing she hosted for the community, it was such a success and we were happy...that it just happened. And it felt right. I know it shouldn’t. I know it shouldn’t have happened.” 

“It sounds like it was just a spur of the moment sort of thing,” Ben reassures. “You have known Honey since you were a kid, she is almost half our age. I know age is just a number and all, but you and Honey, you said so yourself it was a mistake and it probably won’t happen again. Can you imagine you and Honey going on double dates with me and Callum?”

Ben breathes out a laugh and stops instantly when he realises what he had just said. Jay’s expression turns to a knowing look, like he is curious to know what Ben is  _ really _ thinking.

Ben lets out a heavy and exhausted sigh and flops back on the sofa. He starts playing with the label of the beer bottle. “I do miss him Jay, I miss him so much,” he sniffs. “This Christmas wasn’t supposed to be this way. Callum and I were supposed to help Lexi set up the snacks and the milk for Santa, and then when she went to sleep, we would help Lola lay out all the presents for her. Then tomorrow, I would wake up with Callum and it would just be the  _ best _ . But that’s all gone now.” 

“It doesn’t have to be,” Jay tells him, desperately trying to drill that fact into Ben’s skull. 

“I miss waking up beside Callum, falling asleep beside Callum. I miss Callum keeping me warm at night.”

“ _ All things Callum, _ ” Jay teases, albeit trying not to throw up at the soppiness of his brother. “You really can find a way through this.”

“I know,” Ben says instantly. “He did it because he loves me.” 

Jay’s eyes widened, “Oh my god, has that  _ finally _ got through to you?!” 

A small smile pulls at Ben’s lips, “But not as much as I love him.” 

“Go and take your soppy arse and go and talk to him. Go and get your central heating back,” Jay rolls his eyes fondly. 

“What, now?” Ben questions, hesitantly. 

“Yes,  _ now _ ,” Jay responds persistently. “No time like the present. He is probably still over at the Vic. Stuart mentioned they were going for drinks.” 

“Do you think he would want me to talk to him now?” Ben bites his lips anxiously. 

“I think he would want nothing more,” Jay smiles. “He’s miserable just like you are. Go and make his Christmas, go and make your Christmas. Hell, even make my Christmas because someone deserves to be happy this year and I couldn’t wish for that person to be anyone but you.”

Ben smiles endearingly at Jay, “Thanks bruv.”

He pulls Jay into a brotherly hug and planting a wet kiss at the side of his hairline that had been dampened by the beer. “I’ll see you tomorrow over at ours, yeah?” 

“Try and stop me,” Jay says as he pulls away and pulls a firm expression. “And I hope to see Mr Highway as well.”

“If I have anything to do with it,” Ben licks his lips and jumps off of the sofa with a spring in his step. He grabs his grey checkered coat from the armchair and puts it on. He stops to look at Jay with a small smile, “Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas.”

Ben wastes no time in leaving the house, a determined glint in his eye where his head and his heart is full of Callum and his legs were seeming to march themselves over to the Vic, that stood proudly across the Square. The fresh night air surprisingly seemed to clear Ben’s state of mind too. Though, his only focus was still Callum and getting to him, but that was a good thing. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


“We should probably start heading back soon,” Rainie suggested as her, Stuart and Callum were huddled round a small table in the Vic. “As we don’t want sore heads for the big day.” 

_ Big day. _ The words loomed over Callum like a knife stabbing him in the back. Tomorrow was supposed to be the  _ perfect _ day. But not anymore. It was just going to be filled with what he lost, regret and just pure misery. 

“Shall we have one for the road?” Callum asked, trying his hardest to pull an encouraging smile. Stuart and Rainie looked up at him and flashed him a soft smile, but he could see in their eyes that they were feeling sorry for him.

“Only if you’re paying,” Stuart teased gently. 

Callum breathed out a laugh and stood up, making his way towards the bar. He ducked his head down as he waited to be served. Callum felt the rush of alcohol rise into his head. He was moved away from his thoughts when he heard one set of double doors loudly creak open. Callum looked up and swallowed a lump in his throat when he saw Ben at the other end of the pub, with his eyes on  _ him _ . It looked like he was in some sort of trance as he was not acknowledging anyone. Callum barely saw the double doors swing shut behind him as he saw a dark look in Ben’s eyes, like he was determined, which made Callum slightly nervous and he could feel the hair on the back of his neck start to rise.

Callum gulped. Before he could even get a word out, he found himself being spun round by Ben and grabbed by lapels of his navy bomber jacket. Then, he suddenly had a pair of lips smacked onto his lips. He was drowning in heaven as his lips moved rhythmically against Ben’s. It was pretty beautiful how connected their lips were and how in sync they were. It was like the final piece to a perfect jigsaw. Faint wolf whistles could be heard but they sounded inaudible, like they were unable to burst into their bubble. 

A gasp escaped Ben’s lips as he pulled away and just gazed up at Callum who had the most dazzling blue eyes. Looking into Callum’s eyes was like looking at the Christmas lights in Trafalgar Square, so exciting and full of wonderment. 

“Ben-” Callum came out in a stutter, his eyes blinking. 

“I’m sorry,” Ben blurts out, sounding almost like a plea. “I’m sorry for everything.”

“Ben, you don’t have…” Callum attempts to tell him.

“Just let me  _ speak _ ,” Ben insists. “I shouldn’t have been so angry. I should have been there for you, I should have understood. You were having a shit time at work and all we both wanted was for us to have a nice Christmas compared to last year and look what I did.”

“Ben, it’s okay,” Callum says softly, trying to stay strong. “I get it.”

“I want to wake up with you,” Ben whines. “I don’t want to wake up on my own anymore. I want you to wake me up in the way that you know I like.” He runs a finger down Callum’s jacket seductively and licks his lips.

Callum can feel the tips of ears and his cheeks heat up as they flash a soft shade of red. “Ben,” he murmurs. He swallows a lump in his throat, “I am so sorry, I never wanted to hurt you, you have to believe me.”

“I do baby,” Ben responds. “I’m sorry too. I can’t be without you. You’re the yin to my yang, the Ross to my Rachel.” 

Callum raises his eyebrow, a grin of amusement pulling at his lips. “ _ The Ross to your Rachel _ ?” 

Ben shakes his head in dismissal, his arms folding around Callum’s body, “You know what I mean,” he pouts. “What I’m trying to say is, me and you are meant to be together and we always will. We just fit. We’re so  _ right _ . We will always have our problems but what couple doesn’t, eh? As long as we work through it, we come out stronger than ever. It’s always meant to be me and you.” 

“I agree,” Callum firmly agrees, his voice thick with emotion. His hands came up to rest on Ben’s cheeks. “I love you so much.”

“I love you more,” Ben states, planting a wet kiss in Callum’s mouth. He moved his arms up to wrap around Callum’s shoulders as he kissed him so intensely and pulled him in further, like he was trying to devour every possible ounce of Callum in that moment.

“Get a room,” they heard Stuart call out. “You’ll put me off my Christmas dinner.” 

Normally Ben would say something, but they were both so consumed by happiness and felt like a weight of loneliness had been lifted off their shoulders that they just pulled away and rested their foreheads against each other’s. 

“As much as I love these gestures,” Callum says with a smile. “But I think I should be the one grovelling to you.”

“Well let’s get out of here and you can swoon me all you want,” Ben bit his lip suggestively. “All the way to Christmas morning.” 

“Let’s go home,” Callum says softly, his eyes shining with love and endearment. They both did not know  _ exactly _ where home was right now, whether it was the old flat or the house but they did not care, as long as they were with each other. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**One year later**

Callum carefully placed the final Christmas cracker on the long dining table. When he had finished, he stood up and smiled at the masterpiece of the dining table that had been set up ready for Christmas Day tomorrow. 

This was the first Christmas where the year leading up to it had been beyond perfect as well as being one hell of a rollercoaster like other years. On Christmas Day last year, Callum had announced to Ben that he had quit the police force and he would choose Ben over anything, and if there was a chance that it would sabotage their relationship, then it was not the career for him. Nothing was worth sacrificing their relationship. When Callum told him, Ben had to fight the tears but it had been the best decision for Callum as well as the both of them as Callum was now striving in his new role as a support worker and he loved every minute of it. 

Ben and Callum had also decided that they needed to get their own place, their own space and somewhere that they could call their own where no one would be in the way. When Gray finally got sent down for his abuse towards Chantelle Atkins, their children moved into the Taylor’s and the family home went on the market. Since the house went up for less than it was actually worth and luckily it was within Ben and Callum’s price range, they were now the proud owners of Number 1 Albert Square. 

They made the house their own. They had black and white canvas of them in the hallway and their living room was filled with family photographs, a picture of Lexi taking pride of place in the middle of the mantelpiece above the fireplace. Lexi loved staying round as she had her own room that was designed for her that had baby pink walls with unicorn stickers and fairy lights. 

Callum was so excited when December had finally rolled around as he poured the house with festive decorations in the way that it would seem that the fairies vomited their pleasant fairy dust from top to bottom as every room in the house was decorated. There was a massive Christmas that was decorated beautifully and stood spectacularly by the window in the living room like a work of art. There was a different colour tinsel on every surface that you could find. There were personalised stockings with Ben, Callum and Lexi’s names on it hanging by the fireplace. The cushion covers on the sofas had been changed to Christmas themed, even the bedding was fairisle; Ben couldn’t believe it when he led Callum up the staircase, where the bannister was wrapped in tinsel and holly, for a romantic early night in bed one cold night to find that their bedspread was Christmas themed. Ben teased Callum how he couldn’t wait for Christmas to be over because everytime he walked in, it smelt like a gingerbread house with how Callum always had scented candles on the go where the smell of gingerbread, cinnamon or clementine wafted throughout the house.

But Ben loved it. He loved how excited Callum got and the way his eyes lit up with every Christmas idea that he came up with for the home. He even went as far as ordering a personalised plate for Lexi for Santa’s treats to be left on. It was like all the Christmases that they had both been deprived off throughout their childhood was rolled into one. It was their very own Christmas wonderland. 

Ben walked over to Callum where he stood by the dining table and patted his bum lightly making Callum jump slightly at the familiar touch, “The carrots are all prepped, sir.”

Callum smiled genuinely at Ben as he turned to face him, “Thank you.”

“I can’t believe how organised you are,” Ben breathes out a laugh. “You have prepped all the vegetables and the potatoes and laid the table. You have even cooked the turkey!”

“Well I thought the more I do tonight, the more time that I can spend in bed with you in the morning,” Callum grinned, wrapping his arms around Ben’s waist and planted a soft kiss on his lips.

Ben hummed against Callum’s lips, “A man after my own heart.” He pulled away, “But are you forgetting that we will have a very excitable nine year old in the morning who will want to see what Santa has brought her?” 

“I will write a note from Santa saying that she can’t open the presents until 11 otherwise there’s a risk that the elves could lose their magic?” Callum suggests with a playful arched eyebrow and a slight tilt of the heads

Ben lets out a loud laugh and kisses Callum again. “I hope you have super glued that tree down to the floor,” he says teasingly. “You know with my dad, my brother and your brother all being in the same room tomorrow.”

Ben and Callum had decided to host Christmas Day for their families in their home this year. The Mitchells, the Beales and Stuart and Rainie with their newborn baby daughter Bella who was born two weeks ago were coming over. 

Callum bit his lip nervously, “It will all be alright won’t it with all our families together? There will be no blow ups?” 

“It will all be fine I promise,” Ben smiled reassuringly. “The only blow ups in this house tomorrow will be from me by eating too many brussel sprouts.” 

“How lovely,” Callum grimaces in disgust, earning a chuckle from Ben.

“Are we going to the carol concert yet?!” Lexi demanded, jumping into the doorway wrapping in her pink coat and reindeer woolly hat, gloves and scarf. Lola was standing behind her in her own coat. 

“Yes we are,” Callum pulls away and claps his hands together enthusiastically. “Let me just go and get my coat, and when we get home we can have hot chocolates and lay the treats out for Santa and the reindeer.” He says whilst walking into the hallway and grabbing his coat.

“And me, you and dad will wear our matching Christmas pyjamas?” Lexi presses excitedly.

Callum looks up at Ben with a mysterious glint in his eye to find Ben looking back at him with daggers and a subtle shake of the head. Lola is trying to suppress herself from laughing. Ben thought it was a bad dream when Callum bounced into the house one day after work with a bag full of matching family Christmas pyjamas that were bright red and said “ **_Santa’s Dream Team_ ** ”.

“Oh of course,” Callum grins, not losing eye contact with Ben and finishes doing up his coat. 

Ben shakes his head and marches into the hallway and puts his checkered grey coat on.

“Let’s go shall we?” Callum breathes out excitedly. Lexi instantly puts her small hand in his as they walk out of the house.

Lola turns to Ben and squeals humorously, “Matching Christmas pyjamas?! I’ll have to get a picture!” 

“Stop it,” Ben growls as they’re walking out the house. “Trust me, after what I have planned, we’ll soon be on Santa’s naughty list as those pyjamas will be  _ straight off _ .” 

Lola’s face scrunches up in distaste, “Too much information. Just remember I’m sleeping in the guest bedroom tonight.” 

Ben makes a noise of dismissal as he locks up the house and they go and join the musical festivities in the middle of the Square. Ben cannot help the smile on his face as he witnesses the two most important people in the world bouncing happily hand in hand in front of them.

Whether you like carol singing or not, the event on Christmas Eve in the middle of the square every year is just magical. Everyone’s face just lights up in awe. Every family comes together all huddled up warm in a group and you find yourself laughing, singing and dancing to every song. Ben looks to the side of him to find Callum beside him with Lexi balanced on his shoulders as they’re smiling and bobbing along to the singers in the distance. This is what Ben wanted forever. He had always known but this just confirmed it. He wanted every Christmas to be as magical as this. 

When the next song came on, Lexi wriggled her legs wanting to get down and dance as the singers started to sing in a gospel style “ **_I wish it could be Christmas everyday_ ** ”. Ben noticed the way Callum’s eyes lit up with excitement as well, knowing that this is one of his favourite Christmas songs. He couldn’t help but smile at the way Callum beamed and bobbed his head along to the song with Lexi standing beside him jumping about and swinging her arms about.

This was it, this was the moment.

“Callum,” Ben coughed, trying to get his attention.

“Yeah?” Callum responds quietly, his eyes not leaving the front.

Ben takes a deep breath before saying simply, “Marry me.” 

Callum immediately drew his eyes away from the entertainment and looked at Ben. “What?” He spluttered, not sure whether he heard it right.

“Marry me,” Ben repeats, this time in a soft whisper. 

Ben shuffles in the inside pocket of his coat to reveal that familiar red velvet box that Callum recognises so well. Callum’s eyes almost popped out of his head and had to swallow the lump that was quickly rising in his throat and he felt his eyes begin to water when he saw Ben slowly get down on one knee. The dancing and singing nearby soon stopped and all eyes diverted to the scene played out by Ben and Callum as this seemed  _ far more magical _ . Kathy had her hand over her mouth with tears in her eyes and was bursting with happiness and Jay as well as a few others in the Square stood with their mouths agape with a hint of a smile, not quite believing that Ben Mitchell was down on one knee, proposing to the love of his life,  _ in front of the whole square _ . 

It wasn’t just Callum’s Christmases that had all come at once.

“Ben,” Callum stutters, his hand coming up to his mouth. 

“Callum, I’m not going to lie but the past two Christmases have been pretty rubbish for us but this year, it has been a dream come true. We have everything that we have ever wanted and it’s been perfect. I never thought I would find love again but when you came into my life, I have never loved anyone more. I want to spend every year of the rest of my life with you...as my husband.” Ben gulped. He opened the box and a simple silver band was revealed that had  _ B & C  _ engraved on the front. “Callum Highway, will you marry me?” 

Callum moved his hand from his mouth. His eyes were glazed over with happy tears and unlike last year, many dimples were showing in his beaming and loving smile. “Yes,” he chokes. “Of course I’ll marry you.” 

Loud applauses and shouts overpowered the singing as Ben breathed out a breath of happiness and relief as he got back up on his feet. He slid the ring on Callum’s finger. Callum’s hand was shaking due to the surprise and adrenaline rush. With tears in their eyes, they looked back at each other.

“I love you,” Callum cried. “So much.” 

“I love you too,” Ben cried back. He wasted no time in pulling Callum by the lapels of his coat and into a passionate and loving kiss. They did not care that they were pretty much snogging in front of the whole square, they were so overwhelmed and consumed with love and happiness that they had for one another. 

“Thank you Santa,” Lexi whispered up at the sky with her eyes scrunched shut and a bright smile on her face. 

“What’s that Lex?” Lola stood behind Lexi and frowned curiously, placing a gentle hand on Lexi’s shoulder.

Lexi turned round and beamed up at Lola, “When dad and Callum took me to see Santa last week, I asked him for dad and Callum to get their happily ever after. He made my wish come true!” 

Lola felt herself choke up at what her little girl had just said. Out of all the toys she wanted, out of all the latest dolls that were out, all she wanted was for the two most important men in her life to be happy. 

After a few moments, everyone turned to look up at the sky. Ben and Callum felt something tickle their cheeks and they pulled away to find that it had started to snow. Ben and Callum smiled up at the sky in amazement, wrapped up in each other’s arms.

It really was the most magical time of the year that was full of warmth and love. 


End file.
